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framework. Until that happens we're not going to get any- anda or churches, the obvious response from Aboriginal where in this country. I believe that there's a great deal of good people is to test them and this place, Mount Oak, is a classic wil] between our peoples and rather than look at an Aboriginal example. I've already talked to the people here about their perspective I just look at it as human beings trying to get our act spiritual responsibility of giving the land to the local Aborigi- together, trying to develop a higher quality of spiritual exis- nal Land Council and they’ve made a favourable response, as tence. has Bodhi Farm and the Women’s Place behind Wauchope - so The message for governments is that the issue of Aborigi- there is a spiritual movement for that to happen. It hasn’t hap- nal land rights needs to be pushed into a higher plane of pened formally because there’s been no structure behind it all. spiritual consciousness, so that with the process of meditation, What I’m doing is providing that structure by making the prayer, pondering, thinking, setting aside some time during requests officially. 1988, wecan achieve it. I would expect that when I write to the Land rights is the most crucial issue for Aboriginal people. churches they'll be able to give their responses about how But land rights isa very big business -in a white man’s term the attached to their land they are. Churches, like Aboriginal biggest business in Australia. A businessman never goes to the sacred sites and sites of significance, are indeed temples, sanc- negotiating table in a spirit of anger. He goes there on his best. tuaries, sacred spaces. What part of Australia is a sacred space behaviour because he wants to achieve something. In the area for blacks and for whites? We sorted out ours over a period of of land rights we need our best negotiators. We need people 50,000 years, The white people’s approach to the sacredness of who are bereft of anger. We need people who can successfully their special places should be in the process of being sorted out negotiate agreements with the governments, churches and too, because religious organisations in particular need to feel communities - and until we get rid of our anger as a race and free about the way in which they have acquired the land on look at approaching the issue of land rights on a businesslike which their sacred spaces have been built. basis, we're not going to achieve it. It would be a meaningful gesture for the leaders of the The thing we've got going for us is a very, very powerful Australian churches to give inalienable freehold title back to spiritual factor between ourselves and the Earth. I was born on local Aboriginal communities under the legislative structure of the land so I feela very special affinity to my particular piece of the 1983 NSW Aboriginal Land Rights Act, where we now can land. | believe that it’s achievable to the satisfaction of every- legally receive land. I apply that also to private land. | think body. I’m not talking about dispossessing nuclear families. \'m there are enough people around who think enough of the talking about land that comes back in a spiritual way, either Aboriginal cause to consider ‘leasing back’ their private pieces through inheritance or gift. Therein lies the potential for a very of land. Aboriginal people come from the perspective that great achievement during 1988. Australia belongs to the universe and the concept of ownership When you travel around Australia, you get a strong feeling that Aboriginals have is in direct contrast to the European about how big the land is, big enough for everybody. system, which relates to speculation and monetary value. I say that because for Aboriginals every step’s a prayer on our land. We not only worshipped, we caressed the energy of this continent and we've got a long, long history about our connectedness with the land. But I wouldn’t deny a white person that spiritual affinity. | wouldn’t say to a white person, “You wouldn’t know what it’s like to be an Aboriginal,” even though 1 know that’s true. 1] would say that! respect your ability to feel for the land that’s very special to you and that maybe the only difference between us is that my spirit’s been influenced for a much greater period of time than yours. But 1 would never deny that you havea special feeling or affinity to a piece of land - which is actually very important. We not only worshipped, we caressed r4 0 There are good points that can be arrived at through the the energy of this continent process of meditation that can satisfy all needs. And for Abo- riginal people who are sincere about land rights; if the energy There’s going to be a big story. We're going to challenge all of anger has failed, if the energy of crying poor has failed, then the people that | talked about, all the organisations and the the self-esteem approach, the dignified, regal approach is the governments. 1 want to write a letter to each one of them, obvious way to go to achieve the ultimate goal. breaking the good news and giving them the opportunity to I’m looking forward to that day despite the fact that | may honour and respect their presence here on Aboriginal land. be ostracised by my countrymen. I believe that’s only forashort For the whole of 1988 my contribution is, in a spirit of love, time until they understand exactly what I'm on about. I'm no to talk the churches, governments and private property into apologist for white people. I’ve got no beef with them. | just look giving us our land back with a lease-back - maybe for the next at people as human beings, and on that basis I’m able to 200 years. Which means that no-one’s occupation of our lands negotiate, talk to, front up - eye to eye contact with human will be threatened, but the important thing about it would be beings that for the first time in 200 years, Aboriginal ‘landlordship’ - Burnam Burnam has just completed his book, “A Traveller’s which relates to self-esteem, dignity, majesty and nobility -will Gurde to Aboriginal Australia” -80,000 words and 350 photos. It reappear iri Aboriginal] people. describes the mythology of the landscape to give the occasional trav- When you think of places like Bodhi Farm and Dharman- eller a Dreamtime perspective of the land. NEXUS New Times Four - Autumn 1988 3 framework. Until that happens we're not going to get any- anda or churches, the obvious response from Aboriginal where in this country. I believe that there's a great deal of good people is to test them and this place, Mount Oak, is a classic wil] between our peoples and rather than look at an Aboriginal example. I've already talked to the people here about their perspective I just look at it as human beings trying to get ouract spiritual responsibility of giving the land to the local Aborigi- together, trying to develop a higher quality of spiritual exis- nal Land Council and they’ve made a favourable response, as tence. has Bodhi Farm and the Women’s Place behind Wauchope - so The message for governments is that the issue of Aborigi- there is a spiritual movement for that to happen. It hasn’t hap- nal land rights needs to be pushed into a higher plane of pened formally because there’s been no structure behind it all. spiritual consciousness, so that with the process of meditation, What I’m doing is providing that structure by making the prayer, pondering, thinking, setting aside some time during requests officially. 1988, wecan achieve it. I would expect that when I write to the Land rights is the most crucial issue for Aboriginal people. churches they'll be able to give their responses about how But land rights isa very big business -in a white man’s term the attached to their land they are. Churches, like Aboriginal biggest business in Australia. A businessman never goes to the sacred sites and sites of significance, are indeed temples, sanc- negotiating table in a spirit of anger. He goes there on his best. tuaries, sacred spaces. What part of Australia is a sacred space behaviour because he wants to achieve something. In the area for blacks and for whites? We sorted out ours over a period of of land rights we need our best negotiators. We need people 50,000 years, The white people’s approach to the sacredness of who are bereft of anger. We need people who can successfully their special places should be in the process of being sorted out negotiate agreements with the governments, churches and too, because religious organisations in particular need to feel communities - and until we get rid of our anger as a race and free about the way in which they have acquired the land on look at approaching the issue of land rights on a businesslike which their sacred spaces have been built. basis, we're not going to achieve it. It would be a meaningful gesture for the leaders of the The thing we've got going for us is a very, very powerful Australian churches to give inalienable freehold title back to spiritual factor between ourselves and the Earth. I was born on local Aboriginal communities under the legislative structure of the land so I feela very special affinity to my particular piece of the 1983 NSW Aboriginal Land Rights Act, where we now can land. | believe that it’s achievable to the satisfaction of every- legally receive land. I apply that also to private land. i think body. I’m not talking about dispossessing nuclear families. 'm there are enough people around who think enough of the talking about land that comes back in a spiritual way, either Aboriginal cause to consider ‘leasing back’ their private pieces through inheritance or gift. Therein lies the potential for a very of land. Aboriginal people come from the perspective that great achievement during 1988. Australia belongs to the universe and the concept of ownership When you travel around Australia, you get a strong feeling that Aboriginals have is in direct contrast to the European about how big the land is, big enough for everybody. system, which relates to speculation and monetary value. I say that because for Aboriginals every step’s a prayer on our land. We not only worshipped, we caressed the energy of this continent and we've got a long, long history about our connectedness with the land. But I wouldn’t deny a white person that spiritual affinity. | wouldn’t say to a white person, “You wouldn’t know what it’s like to be an Aboriginal,” even though 1 know that’s true. 1] would say that! respect your ability to feel for the land that’s very special to you and that maybe the only difference between us is that my spirit’s been influenced for a much greater period of time than yours. But 1 would never deny that you havea special feeling or affinity to a piece of land - which is actually very important. We not only worshipped, we caressed ry . There are good points that can be arrived at through the the energy of this continent process of meditation that can satisfy all needs. And for Abo- riginal people who are sincere about land rights; if the energy There’s going to be a big story. We're going to challenge all of anger has failed, if the energy of crying poor has failed, then the people that | talked about, all the organisations and the the self-esteem approach, the dignified, regal approach is the governments. 1 want to write a letter to each one of them, obvious way to go to achieve the ultimate goal. breaking the good news and giving them the opportunity to I’m looking forward to that day despite the fact that | may honour and respect their presence here on Aboriginal land. be ostracised by my countrymen. I believe that’s only forashort For the whole of 1988 my contribution is, in a spirit of love, time until they understand exactly what I'm on about. I'm no to talk the churches, governments and private property into apologist for white people. I’ve got no beef with them. | just look giving us our land back with a lease-back - maybe for the next at people as human beings, and on that basis I’m able to 200 years. Which means that no-one’s occupation of our lands negotiate, talk to, front up - eye to eye contact with human will be threatened, but the important thing about it would be beings that for the first time in 200 years, Aboriginal ‘landlordship’ - Burnam Burnam has just completed his book, “A Traveller’s which relates to self-esteem, dignity, majesty and nobility -will Guide to Aboriginal Australia” -80,000 words and 350 photos. It reappear iri Aboriginal] people. describes the mythology of the landscape to give the occasional trav- When you think of places like Bodhi Farm and Dharman- eller a Dreamtime perspective of the land. NEXUS New Times Four - Autumn 1988 We not only worshipped, we caressed the energy of this continent